New rules for NSW as cases remain high.

Greater Sydney's stay-at-home orders have been extended until the end of September, as cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 remain stubbornly high.

The state recorded 642 locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm, along with four deaths.

There have been 10,582 locally acquired cases reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was reported. There are currently 470 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 80 people in intensive care, 27 of whom require ventilation.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth)

In an effort to contain the spread, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced further restrictions, including a state-wide mask mandate. From Monday, all NSW residents will be required to wear a mask outdoors, except when exercising.

Greater Sydney's lockdown will also be extended for another month, except in Shellharbour and the Central Coast, which will be classified as regional areas. (The regional lockdown is currently due to be lifted on August 28.)

Meanwhile, the 12 Sydney LGAs that have been classified 'areas of concern' will face even tighter rules from Monday, including a nighttime curfew.

Residents in Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith and Strathfield will not be permitted to leave their homes between the hours of 9pm and 5am unless for essential work or emergencies.

Residents in those areas will now only be permitted to exercise outdoors for one hour per day, and additional retail outlets including garden centres, hardware and pet-supply stores will be closed except for click-and-collect.

The state's Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urged NSW residents beyond those LGAs to remain vigilant.

"Although we are seeing the cases predominantly in these areas, there are also rising cases outside those LGAs of concern. It is important there is no complacency anywhere," she said. "I am asking everyone to hang with us for the next 4-6 weeks. Buckle down.

"I do not want to be standing here every day announcing deaths."

Australia hits one-dose vaccine milestone as under 40s given Pfizer date.

More than half of Australia's population aged 16 and above has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

The milestone was reached on a record day of immunisations with 309,010 doses administered nationwide as the behind-schedule rollout ratchets up.

50.2 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as of August 19. See more data in our vaccine tracker: https://t.co/JuyWgfc5rE #covid19vicdata #vaccination #covid19vic pic.twitter.com/FVpHhM4uhe

— The Age (@theage)

But it coincided with a new daily high in local cases which exceeded 750 for the first time during the pandemic.

An explosion of coronavirus cases in NSW continues to fuel national concerns with the state's Delta strain outbreak linked to clusters in Melbourne, Canberra and New Zealand.

There were 681 new infections and one death reported in NSW on Thursday.

Victorian health authorities urged people to remain calm about 57 new cases in Melbourne, with 54 linked to existing outbreaks and 44 in isolation throughout their infectious period.

In the ACT, there were 16 cases as authorities work on driving down cases in Australia's locked down capital.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced all people in the 16 to 39-year-old age bracket will be eligible to receive a jab from August 30.

Some jurisdictions including South Australia and the ACT already opened bookings for people under 40 leading to a surge in appointments for the Pfizer jab.

Australia has fully vaccinated 28.2 per cent of its population aged 16 and above.

The federal government is also waiting for the expert immunisation panel ATAGI to give the green light for 12 to 15-year-olds to be vaccinated, which could come within days.

First Afghanistan evacuees land in Perth.

The first evacuees from Afghanistan have arrived in Perth as Australia continues a complex rescue operation in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said federal officials were working with the WA government to ensure the evacuees received medical and mental health support.

"This has been a difficult and distressing ordeal for many of the evacuees and we will help them through completing the mandatory 14 day quarantine," Mr Morrison said.

WA has agreed to take in the passengers above the state's weekly quarantine arrivals cap.

Evacuees from Afghanistan to be taken to Perth hotel after desperate flight from stricken capital https://t.co/9TCCC8KXK1

— ABC News (@abcnews)

Federal and state police were on hand when the evacuation flight landed in Perth overnight, The West Australian newspaper reported.

Other states will also be asked to help as the evacuation program continues.

On Thursday a further 76 Australian citizens and Afghans with protection visas were airlifted out of the Afghan capital to a base in the United Arab Emirates.

Another 40 Australian Defence Force personnel and provisions were also flown into Kabul to help with the rescue mission.

The latest evacuation adds to 26 people extracted from Kabul during the first flight.

The government has defended offering 3000 humanitarian places to Afghans fleeing the Taliban despite other nations pledging intakes more than six times that figure.

And it seems to be getting worse. https://t.co/ToiyN87jgS

— Mamamia (@Mamamia)

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke expects the initial commitment could rise to 5000 as the situation unfolds in Afghanistan.

World Vision is among groups calling on Australia to create an additional 20,000 humanitarian visas for people fleeing Afghanistan. More than 300 organisations have signed an open letter saying the government has a moral duty to the Afghan people.

Victoria has 55 new local COVID-19 cases.

Victoria has reported 55 new local COVID-19 cases after health authorities warned strong day 13 testing would keep numbers high.

The health department on Friday confirmed 49 of the cases are linked to known outbreaks, while 25 were self-isolating throughout their infectious period.

It leaves sixcases under investigation.

Reported yesterday: 55 new local cases and 2 new cases acquired overseas (currently in HQ). - 28,601 vaccine doses were administered - 48,273 test results were received More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco #COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/0KXXl2mb0M

— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH)

COVID Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar said health authorities "still have more work to do" to determine where the virus has spread, noting the next 14 days of lockdown will be crucial.

"We're determined to get to the bottom of every case," he toldABC Radioon Thursday night.

Melbourne is just over two weeks into its sixth lockdown, which has been extended until at least September 2.

Victorians are being warned to brace for another spike in case numbers as more close contacts are due for testing before being released from isolation.

On Thursday, the state recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases since last year's deadly second wave after dozens of day-13 tests were returned from isolating close contacts.

"Dressed me like girl scout," says R. Kelly accuser.

A key accuser at the R. Kelly sex-trafficking trial returned to the witness stand, saying the singer often videotaped their sexual encounters and demanded she dress like a girl scout during a relationship that began when she was a minor.

Jerhonda Pace resumed her evidence in Brooklyn federal court a day after telling jurors she was a 16-year-old virgin and a member of Kelly's fan club when he invited her to his mansion in 2010.

While there, she said, she was told to follow "Rob's rules" - edicts restricting how she could dress, who she could speak with and when she could use the bathroom.

R Kelly ‘demanded victim dress like a Girl Scout’, court hears https://t.co/HMPb2EWjuO

— The Independent (@Independent)

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